Breathtaking New Orleans’ water strategy takes step forward on special flood control seminar

May 8th, 2012 by nwp

The seminar Flood Control Solutions for Complex Flood Risk Reduction Systems in New Orleans on April 23 demonstrated high-tech solutions for improved flood risk reduction and underlined the close cooperation between Louisiana and the Netherlands.

The seminar addressed advancements in the fields of levee monitoring, maintenance and ICT solutions, from US national and international perspective, which support cost-effective solutions.

Powerfull application to support flood control
“New Orleans’ water strategy is breathtaking and is an example for the world!” mentioned Mr. Dale Morris (Netherlands Embassy, DC) when he expressedhis admiration for the passion of the people of Louisiana. However, the operation and maintenance of the new Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System is an enormous challenge.

With ICT applications that go beyond checking your Facebook page, maintenance can be improved and enhanced decision making in crisis conditions can be facilitated. Some powerful applications were demonstrated at the seminar.

Intelligent levee monitoring
Speakers John Monzon (CPRA, LA) and Bob Woldringh (REAL, CA) showed that with intelligent levee monitoring systems levee failure can be prevented and potential damages rapidly assessed. This matches the ´dream´ of Mr. Jan Put (Water board Groot Salland, Netherlands) to “….monitor and maintain complex flood risk reduction systems from a single intelligent dashboard. I need cost-effective maintenance measures, which I can easily determine with the dashboard of the water board.”

The dashboard of mr. Put was developed as part of Flood Control 2015. Also Mr. Colin Berghouse of the Environment Agency (UK) showed how dashboards play a role in UK flood risk reduction.


Efficient maintenance
With the Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System of New Orleans nearing completion, Robert Turner (SLFPAE, LA), is in need of advanced solutions for efficient maintenance management. He demonstrated a dashboard for improved decision making under storm conditions, developed by Dutch flood control experts Royal Haskoning, Fugro and HKV.

The Hurricane Risk and Safety Module makes data from several sources accessible (water levels, weather forecasts) and provides the levee operator with insight into levee strengths under storm conditions. The tool was demonstrated live and is a successful example of the Flood Control 2015 innovation program.

The seminar was organized as part the Flood Control 2015 Dutch innovation program, in which nine flood control institutes have joined forces for better flood protection. It was also supported, in part, by the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Washington DC

This news item was originally published on the website of the Flood Control 2015 innovation programme.

Downloads of the presentation (as pdf-files):
www.royalhaskoning.com

More information
Stichting Flood Control
Delft, the Netherlands
info@floodcontrol2015.com
+31 88 3357446
www.floodcontrol2015.com


Posted in News.

TenCate Geosynthetics project partner in Yellow River dike monitoring

March 20th, 2012 by nwp

TenCate Geosynthetics and AGT International have signed a letter of intent for collaboration on the installation of TenCate GeoDetect technology in a dike body at the Yellow River in Dayulan (Zhengzhou) in the Henan province in China.

TenCate GeoDetect is a monitoring system based on geotextiles with interwoven fibre optics, which registers changes in embankments and dikes. The system will be used in the AGT Flood Early Warning System.

Flood prognosis for timely evacuation
The AGT Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) will be employed to collect and analyse data on dike stability and deformations in the dike and on the risk of flooding. These will provide a basis for taking measures to prevent subsidence or dike failure as quickly as possible. The system is also able to do a flood prognosis and can assist decision makers in timely evacuation. It will provide the manager with information about the condition and stability of the dike.

Tracing possible defects
The future of TenCate Geosynthetics lies in offering solutions to geotechnical challenges by means of open innovation. ‘The collaboration of AGT International and TenCate Geosynthetics is another great example of open innovation within our industry’, states global group director Wally Moore. ‘The combination of our geosynthetics and sensor technology with partners such as AGT International gives us an innovative and differentiated approach to the tracing of possible defects in and problems with dikes and the hydraulic-infrastructural segment of our water and environmental activities.’


Experiments show that in case of an imminent dike breach the temperature drops and the breach can be detected up to five hours before it actually occurs.

Water management expertise
’By bringing Dutch know-how in water management, we are uniquely positioned with TenCate and other partners to implement this ground breaking system,’ says Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje-Nassau, head of AGT International in the Netherlands. ’Our solution collects real-time information from new and existing systems to generate a real-time assessment of the river conditions. Our advanced prediction and simulation software will generate alerts and recommendations to affected areas. Another key element for the full realization and success of the project is our commitment to turning key project findings into shared learning opportunities.’

Yellow River project in China
The project is being carried out by AGT International in partnership with TNO Operations. The project will have a duration of over one year. The commissioning authority is the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC), which is responsible for the water management of the complete Yellow River. This river has a length of circa 5,000 kilometres through China.

Intelligent dike monitoring
For a number of years TenCate Geosynthetics, using TenCate GeoDetect, has been involved in projects with intelligent dike monitoring, including the IJkdijk project in the Netherlands.

TenCate GeoDetect has been tried and tested in hydraulic works structures such as embankment dams, canals and levees and is already used in the building of roads and railways and the construction of retaining walls, bridge abutments and underground constructions worldwide.

TenCate GeoDetect is patented and was specifically designed for geotechnical applications.

Once the project is successfully completed, the YRCC and AGT International will promote this solution to water and dike managers, including those in China.

This press release was originally published on the website of Ten Cate.

More information
Ten Cate Geosynthetics
Almelo, the Netherlands
+31 546 544 911
www.tencate.com


Posted in News.

Dutch consortium granted contract to assist Vietnamese government in long term Mekong Delta plan

January 24th, 2012 by nwp

The Dutch government has awarded a contract to a consortium of Dutch consultants and institutes to assist the Vietnamese government to develop a long term Mekong Delta master plan.

The consortium is headed by consultancy firm DHV and includes Royal Haskoning, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Deltares, RebelGroup and Unesco-IHE.

The project will last 18 months and the contract is worth 750,000 euro.

Special cooperation between Vietnam and The Netherlands
The contract is part of the special cooperation between the Netherlands and Vietnam, formalized in 2010 in the Viet Nam – Netherlands Strategic Partnership Arrangement on climate adaptation and water management.

In October 2011 a similar contract was granted to a Dutch consortium to advise the city of Ho Chi Minh on climate adaptation.

Mekong delta: very sensitive to climate change
With its 17 million inhabitants, the Mekong Delta is one of the world’s most densely-populated regions. It is also one of Vietnam’s most productive agricultural areas. However, the Mekong Delta is increasingly being confronted with the effects of climate change.


Dike breach in province of An Giang in October 2011.

Plans not contradictory to each other
The existing problems in the delta and the expected future developments require an integrated approach. Plans have already been made on sectoral subjects. But these plans may be contradictory to each other and some have insufficiently taken into account the future developments.

Also there is the aspect of time and priority. Some measures are more urgently needed than others.

Urgently needed salinity barriers along canals
For instance the improvements of the water supply system and salinity barriers along canals are urgently needed and continue to require upgrading to solve future demands. But more fundamental strategic decisions are needed on how to meet the combined impacts of these changes.

Using Dutch expertise
The purpose of the plan is to create a strategic long-term vision (2100) for the Mekong Delta, to set out a long-term programme with a range of short-term measures (2015-2025) and to strengthen water governance for the delta.

The Dutch consortium will advise on the water system, land usage, scenario development and water governance.

Winfried Pietersen, DHV project director, said: ‘The most important thing is for the Vietnamese to be able to use our knowledge and experience to develop a clear long-term vision that will truly set a course for sustainably developing the valuable Mekong Delta.’

This news item is based on a press release (in Dutch) originally published on the website of DHV.

More information
DHV consortium
Amersfoort, the Netherlands
+31 33 468 3029
www.dhv.com


Posted in News.

Dutch experts helped Thai authorities to combat Bangkok floods

December 19th, 2011 by nwp


written by Jac van Tuijn

“Not re-active but pro-active, that’s the way we have assisted the Flood Relief Operations Center in Bangkok”, recall Adri Verwey and Tjitte Nauta of the research and specialist consultancy institute Deltares for coastal areas and river basins.

Initially the two Dutch flood experts were asked by chief of operations for evacuation and flood prevention, minister Plodprasop, to advise him and his staff only.

But as the flood crises intensified late October and Bangkok came under serious threat, more Thai authorities were involved. Verwey and Nauta saw their advisory role expanded to more ministries and other authorities such as the Royal Irrigation Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority.

Verwey was frequently asked to attend top level meetings with the army staff and prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Both flood experts look back on a very successful mission……

What has been your main role in the flood center?
“Right from the start we have worked with our Sobek hydrodynamic simulation model. It enabled us to predict the consequences of rising water levels around the city and possible dike breaches. The Sobek models had been used before in Thailand on earlier occasions of the floods.

By using this data we could show the people in the flood center what to expect as the water levels increased. The model produced maps that made the flooding very visual and allowed the disaster experts at the center to anticipate on possible events and talk about measures to prevent new floods to happen.

When we arrived in mid-October, the center was mainly busy reacting to the floodings that had occurred. Due to our presences they were also able to prevent more damage to happen.”

What else did you do?
“Once we had the Sobek simulation operational, we focused on the dike inspections. We went out and found several dike sections that were weakened by piping. Seepage water was coming underneath the dike and destabilized the foundation. Piping is known as a very serious threat, causing a dike breach.

At one location the piping was very severe and we made a simulation in our Sobek-model. We showed this to the people at the flood center. After a consultation with the prime minister Yingluck, 1000 soldiers were ordered to immediately enforce this dike with sand bags.”

“Our simulation also showed that at the north side of the town, the flood defenses were not high enough and by inspecting the place it was discovered that water was already flowing in. We advised the operation center in a plan for a 6 km long dike made of big bags filled with sand.

After the dike inspections we turned our attention to the pumping stations and advised on the most efficient use of the available pump capacity to keep the inner city of Bangkok as dry as possible. ”

What do you advice the Thai government for preventing this to happen again?
“The Thai Government has some idea of the structural measures they need to take. They, however, should opt for an integrated water management plan that also includes the non-structural measures like institutional reform, flood forecasting and improved land use.

Such a plan should have a broader scope than flood related measures only and should include for instance urgent issues as coastal erosion and deteriorating water quality as well. The Thai government must make a clear choose between ‘quick & dirty’, following the usual ad hoc engineering approach, and a comprehensive long term approach.

Such a new approach would pave the way to a more safe and sustainable Thailand.”

Below are two reports from the Thai 3 TV station (spoken in Thai language – both videos have an interview with Adri Verwey in English)

More information
Deltares
Delft, the Netherlands
+31 88 335 82 73
www.deltares.nl

Adri Verwey, flood expert
+31 88 335 8325
or
Tjitte Nauta, Integrated water management specialist/regional manager SE Asia
+31 88 335 85 72

Posted in Features.

Royal Haskoning completes contribution to New Orleans new flood defence system

December 18th, 2011 by nwp

On 8 December, the engineering firm Royal Haskoning celebrated the completion of its activities for the famous Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System program. The Dutch Consul in New Orleans, Constance Willems, was also present at the event, which was held with local partner Evans and Graves. Willems praised the company for deploying Dutch coastal defence expertise in New Orleans.

Design of IHNC surge barrier
In recent years Royal Haskoning has been involved in designing the New Orleans levee system, including construction of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) barrier.

The IHNC barrier seals New Orleans off from the Gulf of Mexico when a hurricane strikes. Royal Haskoning specifically worked on the design height, wave forces, navigation and soil protection. It also advised on and gave direction to the resiliency of the design.

Forecast of hurricanes
Besides working on the IHNC, Royal Haskoning developed concepts for storm forecasting. One of these was the Storm Atlas, which was used effectively in 2008 for efficient prediction of the path of Hurricane Gustav. More recently, the tool has been extended to low intensity storms, enabling the Atlas to forecast a broader range of hurricanes.

Levee information management system
Furthermore, Royal Haskoning has contributed extensively to the system’s operational aspects. It has set up various operational water control plans for the US Army Corps of Engineers. It has also devised a Levee Information Management System (LIMS) for the levee boards. LIMS contains information on the whole levee system, with a visual display function.

Opening and closing of levee floodgates
A special LIMS module has been developed to monitor the opening and closing of the levee floodgates.

This new monitoring system helps the levee boards to plan and coordinate the opening and closure of the gates. Last hurricane season, this module was successfully applied during Tropical Storm Lee.

Giuseppe Miserendino, Director of one of the levee boards, explains “Royal Haskoning staff have a full grasp of our work and the flood protection system, which has resulted in a tailor-made solution that fully suits our needs.”

Making New Orleans a safer place
Resident Director Maartje Wise: “We are very proud to have worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers on the Hurrican & Storm Risk Reduction System and our contribution to make New Orleans a safer place.

Involvement of many
Many interested visitors from the Netherlands and elsewhere came to see the works in New Orleans while the project was in progress. The project triggered students’ imaginations. Marten Hillen, one of the students from Delft University of Technology and now working for Royal Haskoning, was actually awarded “student of the year,” early in 2008, for his work on the project.

This press release was originally published in the website of Royal Haskoning.

More information
Royal Haskoning
Nijmegen, the Netherlands
+31 (0)24 328 42 84
www.royalhaskoning.com

or

Haskoning, Inc.
Metairie, Louisana, USA
Maartje Wise-Hoevenaars
+1-504-831-0677
See all projects by Royal Haskoning in New Orleans: www.haskoninginc.com

Posted in News.

HKV presents dashboard for Vietnamese flood and disaster managers

December 13th, 2011 by nwp

In the presence of vice minister Lai of MonRe and Dutch ambassador Joop Scheffers, the consultancy firm HKV presented the first version of Dashboard Vietnam during a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hydrologic and hydraulic information
Dashboard Vietnam shows various hydrologic and hydraulic information as well as information from social networks, for flood and disaster management. Vietnamese authorities are interested in improved cooperation in this field and Dashboard can help with this.

The workshop was made possible by the Dutch embassy in Hanoi and the Netherlands Space Office and was organised within the framework of the Dutch cooperation “Water and Climate Services”.

Accessible information
Open data and information initiatives are growing worldwide and ever more data and information is available for flood and disaster managers. Dashboard processes these worldwide information flows and presents them in a comprehensible, accessible manner.

In the region this is relevant, because important decisions now need to be made on the basis of very little information.

HKV works in various regions on the Dashboard Flood Management, among others in Indonesia, Philippines and United States of America.

This press release was originally published on the website of HKV Consultants.

More information
HKV South-East Asia
Jurjen Wagemaker
+62 813 892 637 05
or
HKV Consultants
Lelystad, the Netherlands
Bart Thonus
+31 320 294 208
www.hkv.nl

Posted in News.

Deltares experiments on stability of block revetments in large-scale wave flume

December 12th, 2011 by nwp

Research institute Deltares is conducting large-scale physical model tests in one of the biggest wave flumes in the world: the Deltares Delta Flume. The purpose of the study is to test whether it is possible to reinforce a revetment by placing a concrete block revetment on an existing block revetment.

Cost reduction
In case of a reinforced block revetment, it is common practice to remove the existing block before a stronger block revetment is placed. To reduce the costs of this reinforcement it would be interesting to know if the stability of the new block revetment remains the same, if the existingblock revetment is not removed.

Experiments in wave flume
In the Deltaflume Deltares has constructed a section of a dike on a scale of 1:2 in the Delta Flume. This flume has a length of 235 m, a width of 5 m and a depth of 7 m. Waves can be generated up to a significant wave height of 1.5 m. During the experiments, wave characteristics, water pressure in the structure and damage to the dike are measured.

Large dike enforcement programme
The experiments are being carried out for Projectbureau Zeeweringen, a joint project of Rijkswaterstaat and Waterboard Scheldestromen to enforce 325 km dikes on the Dutch coast. Total costs of the project are 900 million euro and the enforcement has to be completed in 2015.

Focus on deltas and coastal regions
Deltares is an independent institute for applied research in the field of water, subsurface and infrastructure. Its focus is on deltas, coastal regions and river basins. Managing these densely populated and vulnerable areas is complex. All over the world Deltares works closely with governments, businesses, other research institutes and universities. With over 800 employees it is the most renowned Dutch water research institute. Deltares motto: Enabling Delta Life.

This press release was originally published on the website of Deltares (in Dutch).

More information
Deltares
Delft, the Netherlands
+31 88 335 8273
www.deltares.nl

Posted in News.

AGT International partners with China to pilot Flood Early Warning System

November 23rd, 2011 by nwp

AGT International announced a partnership with the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) of the People’s Republic of China, to implement the first milestone in a long-term program for a Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) in the Yellow River.

Prediction of flood situations
Within AGT International the project is led by AGT Netherlands in collaboration with TNO (the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) and draws upon world-renowned expertise in this field. AGT International and YRCC will jointly utilize FEWS to collect local real-time hydrometric and dike stability data, analyze the rules of flood formation and movement, improve dike stability forecasting, predict future flood situations caused by possible dike failure, and send out flood warnings.

Dutch know-how
“By bringing Dutch know-how in water management together with the global experience and expertise of AGT International, we are uniquely positioned to implement this ground breaking system,” said Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje-Nassau, CEO of AGT Netherlands. “Our solution collects real-time information from new and existing systems to generate a real-time assessment of the river conditions. Our advanced prediction and simulation software will generate alerts and recommendations to affected areas. Another key element for the full realization and success of the project is our commitment to turning key project findings into shared learning opportunities.”

Strong Chinese partnership
“Developing a flood warning system to protect the people and infrastructure of the world’s fastest growing country required global collaboration,” said Mati Kochavi, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of AGT International. “AGT International has a strong partnership with the Chinese and I am thrilled to extend this important relationship to assist in creating and implementing cutting-edge solutions. This will not only have a positive impact in terms of helping to ensure the well-being of citizens in the locality of the Yellow River, but also reduce the negative economic impact that unpredictable flooding creates.”


In May 2011 AGT signed a MOU with the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.

Emergency response
To address China’s unique topographical and population challenges, FEWS features a custom dike monitoring and stability solution with integrated intelligent emergency response system that enables authorities to apply preventative measures, and prepare and react to ensuing crises quickly and effectively. The solution is modular and encompasses unique sensors, software and services that provide tangible benefits to water authorities as well as municipalities and emergency response agencies, providing them with a unified awareness picture.

Cooperation with Yellow River Commission
“Dike safety is the key to preventing floods,” said Shang Hongqi, Director of YRCC’s International Cooperation and Technology Bureau, “Dike hazards and the limited ability to control floods seriously affect our economic growth and the safety of lives and property. AGT International’s solution will enhance our ability to predict the occurrence of breaches, which is the key to preventing costly and dangerous floods.”

“At the same time, the project will build on and increase the collective experience and technologies in flood management on the Yellow River. We are very pleased with the cooperation between YRCC and AGT International and we expect that this project will bring long-term benefits for China’s water and urban management capabilities”, according to the YRCC/director.

In addition to piloting cutting-edge flood management technology, the FEWS initiative was established to effectively protect the safety of Chinese citizens and their property while creating new eco-friendly standards.

Commitment to Chinese market
In January 2011 AGT International announced four partnerships with Chinese agencies to improve the nation’s urban management and water safety systems, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to the Chinese market and the active role it continues to play in supporting the historic growth and progress occurring in Chinese cities. These agencies include the Ministry of Water Resources, the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (ICC-NDRC), the Shijiazhuang Municipal People’s Government, and National Academy for Mayors of China (NAMC).

More information
AGT International/Custodia
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31-70-3634110
www.agtinternational.com

Posted in News.

HKV wins large project for implementation EU Flood Directive in Romania

November 23rd, 2011 by nwp

HKV Consultants assists the Romanian water authorities of the Arges Vedea river basin with the implementation of the EU Flood Directive. The consultancy firm will also play a major role in the development of hydrological models and the development of flood risk maps.

Digital elevation model
The overall project involves the development of a digital elevation model with LIDAR, the surveying of cross sections, creating hydrologic, hydraulic and inundation models, as well as the assessment of mitigation measures.

The study area is almost 18.000 km2, including the capital Bucharest. Furthermore a hydraulic model will be developed for 3.500 km of rivers.

Work began in November 2011 and continues until the spring of 2013.

More information
HKV Consultants
Lelystad, the Netherlands
+31 320 29 42 42 (Marco Hartman)
www.hkvconsultants.com

Posted in News.

Dutch and Chinese authorities start sharing information on Rhine and Huaihe river basin programmes

November 22nd, 2011 by nwp

Rijkswaterstaat and the Huaihe Water Resource Commission started a three year cooperation programme. This is one of the major elements of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Chinese vice minister Zhuo Ying of Water Resources and the Dutch state secretary Joop Atsma of Infrastructure and Environment. The MOU was signed in Beijing on 16 November.

New flood protection plans
By exchanging experiences on river basin management and using the same methods, both authorities can learn a lot from each other. “Knowledge on the Huaihe river can be of great importance in making plans for the protection of the areas along the Rhine`, said State Secretary Atsma on the occasion of the signing.

Other elements of the MOU include a similar information exchange programmes between Rijkswaterstaat and the Pearl River water resources commission and the Taihu basin authority.

Densely populated and flood prone lowlands
The basins of the Rhine and the Huaihe resemble each other. The water from the mountains in both rivers is quickly transported to a densely populated lowlands that is prone to floods. Rijkswaterstaat can extend its knowhow about the Rhine with data and experiences of the Huaihe. China can learn from the Rhine river basin management systems used by Rijkswaterstaat.

By the knowledge gained, the scenarios that worked for the Rhine accurate. Rijkswaterstaat and Huaihe Commission go a cooperation for three years. Close to the Dutch side also knowledge Institute Deltares and the international water education-UNESCO-IHE Institute with the cooperation.

Visit to the Huaihe
State Secretary Atsma visited the flood defenses of the city of Bengdu in the catchment area of the Huaihe river. The Huaihe has a large number of locks and weirs. At extremely high tide the water is transported to one of the 25 water retention areas.

More information
Rijkswaterstaat
the Hague, The Netherlands
www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/en

Posted in News.

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